The NWA World’s Championship has been held by some of the all-time greats with Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, and Harley Race among its esteemed lineage. Now, Thom Latimer can add his name to that illustrious collection after finning the gold at NWA 76.
Latimer dethroned EC3 to capture the NWA World’s Championship at NWA 76, which is being aired as part of NWA Powerrr on X. The show had been taped on August 31, but was aired on a delay on October 1. EC3 had held the gold for 370 days at the time of the match after ending the reign and career of Tyrus at NWA 75 in August 2023.
Latimer is the third British wrestler to capture the NWA World’s Championship and follows in the footsteps of Gary Steele and Nick Aldis. Steele’s win at NWA 51 in September 1999 only saw him hold the gold for seven days and never defended the title in the UK. Aldis on the other hand, held the title for a combined 1,309 with the SmackDown General Manager boasting two reigns.
Now, it’s Latimer’s time to hold the coveted ten pounds of gold and lead the National Wrestling Alliance into the future with Billy Corgan at the helm. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on the NWA and the reign of new NWA World’s Champion Thom Latimer.
NWA wrestler Silas Mason has surrendered the promotion’s National Championship to keep himself focused on EC3’s NWA World Championship.
On the March 19, episode of NWA Powerrr, Mason relinquished the title and stated he was coming for the gold held by EC3. NWA President Billy Corgan then announced a tournament to determine the next NWA National Champion. The eight-man competition will see two finalists advance to a title match at NWA Hard Times.
The NWA National Title Tournament
Paul Burchill, Thom Latimer, ‘Magic’ Jake Dumas, Carson Drake, AJ Cazana, Blake Troop, Bryan Idol, and Zyon were announced for the tournament. In the main event of NWA Powerrr, Troop defeated Idol to qualify for the next round.
Silas Mason’s Title Reign
Mason captured the title at the NWA 75 anniversary event in August of last year. Ironically, Mason won the title which had been vacated by EC3. The reigning NWA Worlds Champion gave up the gold in order to challenge (and later defeat) Tyrus to become NWA World Champion.
Mason held the title for a collective 205 days. His reign surpasses several notable names in the NWA including Ted DiBiase Sr., Paul Orndorff, Terry Taylor, and Tully Blanchard.
Silas Mason’s Setback
Mason is focused on becoming NWA Worlds Champion, which comes at a unique time in his life. Earlier this month, Mason’s home was destroyed by a fire. On Twitter, the NWA brought awareness to the tragedy and shared a GoFundMe for fans who want to help. Generous fans have already raised over $16,000, far surpassing the initial $10,000 goal.
Our own Silas Mason suffered an unfortunate house fire today.
Mason will challenge EC3 at NWA Hard Times 4. The show has already been filmed at the Dothan Civic Center in Dothan, Alabama. The show was initially announced as a pay-per-view but will instead air as a special NWA Powerrr episode.
Posted March 20th, 2024 in News, NWA. Tagged: EC3.
Control Your Narrative faced saboteurs looking to strike down the company and the genius plans involved, according to promotion co-founder EC3.
Following his release from WWE in 2020 which came after a doomed main-roster run, EC3 would host his own ‘Free the Narrative’ pay-per-views and would speak at length about wanting to control his own narrative. In February 2022, EC3 and Adam ‘Braun Strowman’ Scherr announcedControl Your Narrative, a new promotion taking inspiration from the film ‘Fight Club.’
The Sabotage of CYN
The announcement of CYN was met with ridicule by some fans, who poked fun at the overly serious nature of the promotion as well as the idea of talent booking their own storylines. CYN’s ‘rules’ also drew derision from fans, including the ‘rule’ your fight isn’t with your opponent, but with yourself. Speaking on the Insight podcast, EC3 claimed that some of the bad press the promotion received came from acts of sabotage.
“What is a professional wrestler’s number one job? This is an Al Snow question… To get attention, right? It’s about getting attention. And yeah, there’s good attention and there’s bad attention. It [Control Your Narrative] received bad attention but that attention was all based on frivolous lies and people trying to sabotage something before it even started.
“Because, in theory, we did make some strong waves and provided something unique, where once you become a threat in the industry, you are sought to be destroyed before you grow.”
Banning Moves
One of the most derided aspects of CYN’s rulebook was the outlawing of certain moves, including the superkick and the suicide dive. On the podcast, EC3 stuck to his guns and explained why these bans were a smart call.
“It is still the most genius concept I have. Because on the surface, you’re overreacting to something where you don’t understand or haven’t seen the content develop. It’s probably my fault you don’t understand because the content wasn’t readily available. But, I banned the superkick, the suicide dive, and the Canadian destroyer. And the reasons were because those moves are so cool. But they’re so overdone, that they’ve lost their meaning.
“If you watch our CYN show in Dallas. We had this big multi-man match where somebody who does the superkick was out of position. Thought about it, couldn’t do it. Something [like that] happens, their instincts kick in. They hit the superkick. BOOM! Nails somebody, he’s out. That dude [the kicker] gets disqualified.
“So as he’s getting thrown out of the building, another guy comes in, pins him [the wrestler who was kicked] because the kick was so effective, that it left that man devastated. So it [banning moves] wasn’t to hate superkicks, it’s just we’re doing them so much. They have so much value if we do them right.
“Same with the suicide dive… You can do whatever you want. Just don’t go flying through the middle rope. But then the idea of that too, was I had somebody go for it. They missed and they got stretchered out of the building because it was so devastating and they didn’t hit it.
It’s been over a year since CYN held its most recent event. While not confirmed, the future of the promotion looks increasingly bleak, especially considering that Strowman returned to WWE in September 2022.
EC3 is now the NWA’s top star, but there’s been resentment in that promotion…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Control Your Narrative banned multiple prominent moves when they were founded earlier this year, but there was a method to EC3’s supposed madness.
After his 2020 release from WWE, EC3 hosted multiple cinematic matches and announced Control Your Narrative as a promotion in February of this year.
In addition to Control Your Narrative, EC3 competed for Impact at Bound for Glory 2020, and signed with Ring of Honor in 2021, but was released when the company announced they would be closing their doors.
Banned Moves
After Control Yor Narrative was announced, EC3 announced the rules on social media, which earned ridicule from fans.
Those on social media mocked rules including rule 1 (You are in control) and rule 2 (YOU ARE IN CONTROL.)
Rule 5 of Control Your Narrative announced that Superkicks, Tope Suicidas, and Canadian Destroyers are banned in the company.
“Part of my reality towards wrestling is how these amazing athletic moves are thrown away by overuse. They have no effectiveness. They have no reason. They have no rhyme, and these are some of the coolest ‘quote’ moves, physical feats that wrestling has to offer, and they’re just they’re thrown away.
“So by banning them, I therefore made them far more effective than they have ever been. They mean more, and there have been super kicks on CYN Shows. Every time that’s happened, maybe the Ref’s back was turned, maybe someone got disqualified, but every time somebody got kicked in the face, they were hurt.”
The Future of CYN
Fans won’t be seeing many (if any) of these banned moves at CYN events, but they may not be seeing any moves from Control Your Narrative.
Right now, the promotion is on a hiatus, and was forced to cancel plans for a tour that was scheduled for late 2022.
The news of the tour’s cancellation came days after Braun Strowman (a CYN co-founder) returned to WWE in September of this year.
Were the ideas for Retribution and Raw Underground original concepts from WWE’s vast creative team? Not according to EC3.
After being released in May 2013, EC3 returned to WWE in 2018 and was a prominent upper-mid-carder in NXT.
This would not translate over to the main roster and after an underwhelming run, EC3 was released for the second time in April 2020.
Stolen Ideas
Not long after his release from WWE, EC3 shared cryptic videos, claiming he would control his narrative.
In August of that same year, WWE would introduce their Retribution stable, and later their Raw Underground show.
Speaking to the Wrestling Outlaws, EC3 claimed that the masked gang and the grimy setting were too similar to his videos to be a coincidence (via Sportskeeda.)
“The two things [Retribution and Raw Underground,] they stole from Control Your Narrative and my little video! Like, pull back in time and watch my original Control Your Narrative, my original little narrative, and watch RAW Underground and watch RETRIBUTION.
“A bunch of guys in hoods, walking around, real tough, causing mayhem. Where did I see that before? Oh yeah, Control Your Narrative on YouTube.”
Earlier this year, EC3 would found his ‘Control Your Narrative’ promotion, though the show is on hiatus at this time.
Retribution & Raw Underground
While EC3 believes WWE stole his ideas, neither Retribution nor RAW Underground received rave reviews.
After members of Retribution were revealed, the group faced ridicule from audiences until the group’s end in early 2021.
Raw Underground, a reported personal favorite of Vince McMahon, would only last a few weeks and received criticism for being too different from the wrestling fans tuned in for.
Earlier this month, EC3 claimed that he had invited Clark, aka Velveteen Dream, to a house party while both men were in NXT.
EC3, a former four-time WWE 24/7 Champion claimed that he found Clark’s phone in the bathroom of his house, and had been recording guests urinating without their consent.
Clark has responded saying that though his phone was in the bathroom, it was not recording, and proved it by showing others his phone’s videos, as well as those that had been recently deleted.
Clark has also claimed that EC3 accused him of this due to the hedonistic Velveteen Dream character he played in NXT.
Thanks
While speaking on The Wrestling Outlaws show, EC3 claimed that WWE employees have reached out to him over his allegations against the problematic ex-Superstar (via Sportskeeda.)
“What else could I possibly even say or bother to address? It’s done. He recorded people trying to urinate in my bathroom. That’s the truth. You asked me a question regarding this man who I haven’t thought about in many years, and that story came to mind.
“WWE employees thanked me for telling that story out loud, so there is no thought of bringing him back to the company from those said employees.”
EC3 was reportedly deemed a ‘public relations nightmare’ prior to his WWE release.
Patrick Clark
Despite hopes of returning to WWE one day, that looks incredibly unlikely for Patrick Clark.
EC3 has issued a response to Velveteen Dream’s recent allegations of cocaine use.
As noted, Patrick Clark, formerly known as Velveteen Dream in WWE, took to social media and issued out a video response to EC3 claiming that Clark once hid a camera in his home bathroom.
In the video response, Clark claimed that EC3 was drunk at a party that he and several other professional wrestlers had attended. Clark admitted to leaving his phone in the bathroom, but but was not filming anybody.
Later in the video, Clark alleged that EC3 uses cocaine and told him to “get your sh*t together.” Clark has since removed the video from his Instagram, but it can still be viewed here.
EC3 Responds
Now, EC3 has come out and responded to Clark’s accusations. In a statement to PWInsider, he notes he has never failed a drug test and added that he forgives Clark for filming in his home bathroom.
Here’s the full statement:
“In life, I forgive everyone for everything that has been done to me. I personally have never failed a drug test from any employer, nor been arrested for drug usage, paraphernalia, assault, battery, or any inappropriate behavior.
“My forgiveness includes Patrick Clark for setting up a video recording device in the bathroom of my home. As far as any other accusations and allegations against him, I hope that he finds the help he needs.”
Former WWE NXT Superstar Velveteen Dream has had a lot of controversy to his name, but he is denying claims recently made by EC3.
Dream, real name Patrick Clark, was once considered a future big name in WWE, after impressing audiences in the 2015 season of Tough Enough.
In 2020, allegations were made that Clark had sent explicit photos to minors, and while he admitted the photos were of him, Clark claimed his phone had been hacked.
Despite a WWE-led investigation finding no wrongdoing by Clark, he was released in May 2021.
EC3
Earlier this month, Clark faced a new accusation, this one may be fellow NXT alum EC3.
Speaking to Sportskeeda, EC3 accused Clark of hiding his camera phone in a bathroom at a party hosted by the former Impact World Champion.
EC3 said that Clark filmed the genitals of guests, including wrestlers, without their consent, and Sean Ross Sapp later reported that this had been a long-standing rumor.
The Response
Patrick Clark is used to being on the receiving end of accusations and has now responded to the claims.
In an Instagram video, Clark claimed that EC3 was very drunk at the party, and was slumped in a corner.
Clark said that while he did leave his phone in the bathroom, it was not filming people, and that EC3 has falsely accused him of the act.
Clark claimed that EC3, who is “not friends, at all” with him, made the claim as he was unaware of Clark’s sexuality, due to the hedonistic persona of the Velveteen Dream character.
Clark went on to detail handing a mutual friend his phone, noting that he showed him the “recently deleted” section of his phone as well, to prove that he was not recording him.
The Accusation
After receiving plenty of accusations, Patrick Clark has made an accusation of his own against EC3.
In the same video, Clark claimed that EC3 uses cocaine and encouraged him to “get your sh*t together.”
Clark also claimed that despite EC3’s negative comments about him, the Control Your Narrative founder follows him on Instagram, which was true at the time of the video being published.
The video has since been removed from Instagram, but can be seen here:
In 2020, two years after his return, EC3 was released from WWE for the second time.
After his departure, EC3 went on to co-found ‘Control Your Narrative,’ which encourages talent to take the reins of their careers and relies on stories booked by the wrestlers.
Braun Strowman
Earlier this month, Adam Scherr returned to WWE as Braun Strowman, over a year after his release from the company.
Scherr had been a large part of CYN, but of course will no longer be able to appear for the promotion.
Following Strowman’s return, Control Your Narrative issued a statement saying the “immediate future” of the promotion is unknown.
Speaking to SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall of NBC Sports Boston, EC3 spoke about the company’s unknown future and said he’s happy for his friend.
“Life is flux. Life is interesting. Life is wild. Life is unexpected, and what I really wanted to press home with that press release and Adam’s return is that everything you ever want, is when you go beyond the unknown. So obviously, I’m a close personal friend. Obviously, I’m super happy if he’s happy he’s back. There’s a lot of unfinished business. I know how that motivated me for a long time to go back there. Hopefully he has better luck than I did.”
NWA
While CYN’s future may be unclear, they have formed a partnership with the NWA.
At last month’s NWA 74 event, EC3 competed on both nights of the show, and members of the CYN roster invaded on the second night.
In the interview, EC3 had praise for Billy Corgan, who he sees as a ‘kindred spirit.’
“Billy and I are kind of like-minded, kindred souls and spirits in a way. And having the opportunity now to finally be able to do something with him… He’s committed to his vision. And few are because it’s so much easier to fall back into what we think we have to do as opposed to what we should do. What we should do is follow our intuition and let us see if it succeeds or fails.”
Given that CYN’s appearance at NWA 74 came before their statement about Scherr and their future, it is unclear if plans have changed.
WWE’s new Era
Control Your Narrative’s immediate future is unclear, especially with Adam Scherr and Karrion Kross returning to WWE.
Since Vince McMahon’s retirement, several ex-Superstars have returned, including Dexter Lumis, Johnny Gargano and Hit Row.
When asked about the returns, EC3 didn’t state if he wanted to come back, but had praise for WWE’s new Head of Talent Relations: Triple H.
“What I noticed about Paul, Triple H, he’s a real leader, and I got a lot from watching him work as much as conversations he’s very open to having and how hands-on he was with the talent from NXT. Really, watching him work and lead and address rooms and address people as people as opposed to just objects, I had a lot of respect for it.”
EC3 added that he believes WWE is in “very good hands” with Triple H running talent and creative.
Please credit Steve Fall with a link to SEScoops if you use any of the quotes from this article.
Braun Strowman made his return to WWE during tonight’s episode of RAW.
American Alpha, Los Lotharios, Street Profits, and The New Day competed in a Fatal 4-Way to determine the #1 contenders for the Undisputed Tag Team Championships.
The Monster Among Men arrived in the match and attacked Chad Gable to end the match in a no contest. Braun then put Angelo Dawkins through the announce table and started posing like Hulk Hogan for the crowd. Strowman continued his attack through the commercial break and finally made his way backstage when RAW returned.
EC3 & Control Your Narrative Release Statement on Braun Strowman Returning to WWE
WWE released Braun Strowman (Adam Scherr) on June 2, 2021. He launched the Control Your Narrative promotion alongside former WWE Superstar EC3. Control Your Narrative and EC3 released a statement on Instagram shortly after The Monster Among Men’s return tonight on RAW. EC3 said that CYN is about more than just one man and wished Braun well in his “unfinished business” in WWE.
You can read the entire statement below:
CONTROL YOUR NARRATIVE (CYN) BIDS “THE TITAN” ADIEU
The “Monster Among Men” Returns to World Wrestling Entertainment
Orlando, FL(Sept 5, 2022) – Control Your Narrative (CYN) would like to wish Adam Scherr the best on his return to form as Braun Strowman in the WWE. To “Control Your Narrative” is to “Tell Your Story” and the story of Braun Strowman is “unfinished business.” May Adam/Braun continue to strike fear into the hearts of his opponents, while also doing what motivates him the most, “putting smiles on people’s faces” world wide.
Adam’s ability and value was a catalyst of growth for CYN, allowing an “idea” to grow into featured content, live shows, and the prospect of both a domestic tour and weekly episodic television featured on “Pro Wrestling TV.” With CYN we hope the fulfillment of helping facilitate the next generation and personal growth leads him to becoming “who he is supposed to be”
Control Your Narrative is not about just one man, but a brand. CYN is, and always will be, a platform for any talent/individual to find their “purpose” in this industry. CYN was created to allow name performers’ the creative freedom to reinvent themselves while also giving new, deserving wrestlers the one thing they desperately seek.
Opportunity.
With CYN, our mission is to create memories, characters and a platform that will last a lifetime. I remain determined to make CYN a platform where those following their “dream” have a place to learn, create, grow and make a living. Control Your Narrative will be both a proving ground and an education. CYN exists not just to build better wrestlers, but to build better people. Adam’s contributions to both will be missed.?
With Adam’s return to the WWE, the vision remains the same but the immediate future is unknown. This is not a bad thing. To our CYN talent, those that are knocking on the door, to any fan, lover/hater or any individual reading I can assure you only one thing.?
Everything you ever want, is on the other side of the unknown.
-ec3
EC3, Adam Scherr to LAUNCH NEW WRESTLING COMPANY!?? ?? TV DEAL announcement IMMINENT!?? ?? CYN: Live? 3/5 ORLANDO, FL ? 3/31 Dallas, TX (TV SPECIAL!)?? ?? Bio for TICKETS/INFO? ?? “Now that I have your attention, here’s the truth.” – ec3?? ?? pic.twitter.com/npdsyBBy4c
The Control Your Narrative wrestling promotion founded by EC3 and Adam Scherr has announced a multi-year metaverse partnership with ImagineAR.
ImagineAR is an argument reality platform that allows businesses to create their own AR campaigns without the required programming or technological knowledge.
Per the joint press release, ImagineAR will be a metaverse sponsor for the new wrestling promotion and they will provide the company a custom AR mobile app:
“This agreement is for ImagineAR to be the official metaverse sponsor for CYN providing a custom AR immersive mobile app and for the talent roster to record FameDays e-greeting holograms.”
After leaving WWE back in April 2020, EC3 started a video series in which he claimed that he wanted to control the narrative. This led to several cinematic matches featuring the former Impact champion.
The company announced a TV deal with Pro Wrestling TV a few days ago. The platform will debut in April which will have a linear channel and on-demand streaming app. It will be an ad-supported service provided to viewers across the world for free.
EC3 has run 2 events on PPV under the name “Free The Narrative” but is now launching a new promotion along with Braun Strowman. Two live events have been booked for March including a show that is scheduled to be a TV special. The promotion says an announcement regarding a television deal is imminent.
The new promotion will be named CYN, standing for “Control Your Narrative”. Their first show will be on March 5th from Orlando. They will then tape a television special from Dallas on Thursday, March 31st before WrestleMania weekend.
In addition to EC3 and Braun Strowman, Killer Kross is signed on to the promotion as well. He will debut on the March 31st show. Matt Cardona, Moose, Matt Sydal, Marina Shafir, Matt Taven, and more have also signed on.
-When those who consider themselves #essential know that the status quo isn’t “good enough.”? ? They bet on themselves.? ?#ControlYourNarrative LIVE? ?3-5-22 Orlando?? 3-31-22 Dallas?? ?? You’ve been warned. pic.twitter.com/ewhDtgBK2A
“Control Your Narrative (CYN) has found it’s “purpose” and is proud to announce “Awakening: Live”, a series of live events featuring combative PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING action and the real stories of those who choose to fight.
Headlined by “The Titan” Adam Scherr, ec3, the newly recruited Killer Kross, and other top names in the field of “sports and entertainment,” reads a description of the promotion.
EC3’s second Free the Narrative PPV aired this weekend on FITE. In the main event, he faced Adam Scherr, the former Braun Strowman. It was Scherr’s first match since being released by WWE this spring. His last match was a triple threat for the WWE Championship against Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania Backlash in May.
Free the Narrative II Results:
Fodder defeated Jake Logan
John Skyler defeated Westin Blake
Parrow defeated Gentleman Jervis
William defeated Stanley
Matt Taven defeated William
Adam Scherr defeated EC3
Scherr took to social media after the event.
“All I can say is thank you EC3 you set me free from so many things I had locked inside me that I never thought I’d be able to over come!!! You wanna see a monster become more than he thought he was capable of!!!”
All I can say is thank you @therealec3 you set me free from so many things I had locked inside me that I never thought I’d be able to over come!!!
You wanna see a monster become more than he thought he was capable of!!!
— The Monster of all Monsters (@Adamscherr99) October 2, 2021
“Free The Narrative” is completely independent of any wrestling promotion. Set to an original score, FTN blends professional wrestling, cinema, and harsh reality in what will become the true definition of “creative freedom” for an industry that desperately needs it, and any performer that truly seeks it,” reads a description of EC3’s series.
EC3 was a shadow of his former self during his time with WWE. He has spoken openly about how he has only just started to refind the passion WWE stripped away from him. Talking in more detail during an interview with Wrestling Epicenter, he went on to talk about how he went to great lengths to put his WWE run behind him.
EC3 spoke about the need to make sure the past was left in the past. In a speech that was heavily laced with frustration and an eagerness to not just move on but forget the experience entirely.
The thing about “Becoming who you are supposed to be” is…? ? you either “do” or you “don’t.”? ? no one prepares you? no one does the work for you? no one fights the battle for you.? ? It is on you.? pic.twitter.com/fxVx4PeqMM
“As long as you live in the past, you’ll forever remain in the past,” EC3 said. “So if you’re shopping at a Target and you see your likeness, your image captured in toxic chemicals made in China sold for commerce. When something destroyed a part of your soul and took your pride and tried to destroy your passion, you truly have to let everything go! Let that which does not matter slide. So I threw out my own action figure. Eventually, I burnt one too. If you’re going to destroy your past, you must commit. If you’re going to do something, go all in. Be bold! Be brave! Don’t stop! Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don’t. Everything happens for a reason.” EC3 said
EC3 is Focusing on Building a Future Not Looking to the Past
A man reborn, EC3 is very much focused on the future. His words scream of finality with WWE. He has since signed with Ring of Honor and is excited to get back to doing what he loves. A love that he openly admits was stripped away by WWE.
When the interview pressed on why he was released, or what reasons he was given, EC3 had no answer.
“That’s not a question for me,” EC3 said. “That is a question you would have to ask the powers that be there.”
He is simply a man happy to be looking forward. Moreover, he has no plans to look back or waste time ruminating on things that he has no interest in. EC3 is not alone in expressing his relief at finding his ‘freedom’. However, he is certainly dedicated to cleansing himself with all eyes on the horizon.
Ethan Carter cut a beleaguered figure during this stint with WWE. Having started his career with the company, he made a name for himself in IMPACT wrestling, starting during their TNA days. Holding multiple championships in the company, EC3 was a man with a bright future. When WWE came calling, he took the chance but was released less than two years later, having failed to make any form of impact.
Now, he is back wrestling regularly, after signing a contract with Ring of Honor. The move came as a surprise to some after he made a brief return to IMPACT in 2020. While talking to Wrestling Epicentre recently, EC3 addressed the reason for signing with ROH over the other offers he received.
“Ring of Honor is something I’ve never done. And it’s a storied brand and a legacy that is reinventing itself. It’s finding its own new purpose. It’s something that I want to help build and create. I don’t want to go somewhere where I’m just an interchangeable part. I want to go somewhere, create something, build something, make something special happen based on the hard work I can put in.”
EC3 Is Looking to Build a Legacy On the Back of Hard Work
EC3 is only 38 years old. He still has enough years ahead of him to make his mark on the industry. His time with IMPACT showed that he has what it takes to be not just a champion, but a main event name for a company. Ring of Honor is the perfect place for him at this stage of his career.
Positioned in a company that is proud of what it does and who appreciates creativity and allowing the story of wrestling to be told.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRMKkSuJFvD/
EC3 continued his career resurgence this weekend when he took on and beat Flip Gordon at ROH Best of the World. With that victory behind him, surely it won’t be too long before he starts hunting down the ROH championship belt.
Since his departure from WWE, EC3 has been a loud voice for real storytelling in wrestling. Disillusioned with the authoritarian control that lingered above everything during his WWE tenure, EC3 has been vocal about real wrestling.
His upcoming Free the Narrative event which features a match between him, and Matt Cardona is the result of his voice. The fully-independent event has no overarching corporate governance and will be a match about real professional wrestling.
While talking about the event on The Wrestling Inc. Daily, podcast, EC3 also brought up a memory that is equally poignant as it is indicative of the level of frustration felt in WWE right now.
Talking more about this Smackdown dark match with the late Brodie Lee (then Luke Harper), EC3 comments on how they were forced to perform as many different, counterintuitive spots as possible in a reduced time window.
EC3 Shared Fond Memories of the Late Brodie Lee
During the interview, the legacy that Brodie Lee created is clear in the way EC3 talks about the man. It also encapsulates everything that is currently wrong in WWE. Why many of their talents are leaving or accepting their lack of narrative control as the way of modern business.
“Whatever, that’s the business, but Jon was a great man, very fortunate to have worked with him in that sense. I always hold on to that memory. When I got fired, he actually texted me. He said, ‘Hey man, remember when they told us to do all this stuff, and you and Drake did really good at your job and then we all got in trouble?’ And I said, ‘Yep.’ He’s like, ‘Well, hopefully, see you around,’ and I did not get to see him since. That’s unfortunate, but that’s the story.”
EC3 never named his previous employers and asserted that no three-letter companies are going to be involved. The landscape of professional wrestling is changing. Hopefully, for wrestlers and fans alike, it is a change for the better.
EC3 announced on social media last month that he had been hospitalized and now he has written a long blog to detail the situation.
He had been dealing with an infection that has caused him to miss out on work for the past month. The severe infection happened months after he had COVID-19 last year. He cited a torn toe tendon procedure and a cut suffered during a match.
“A couple of weeks ago, I noticed a swelling developing in my arm, and in other areas of my body,” he wrote. Paying it very little attention while using bro-science and internet diagnosis, I continued my daily missions and the overwhelming burdens I place upon myself in training, performing, business, and creative endeavors. When I thought about getting it looked at professionally, another thing would come up that I’d give priority.
This repeated and I lived life normally, consistently going, no rest,” he continued. “Finally, after an attempt at some athletic based therapy, my arm became a gigantic, swollen, horrifying, ungodly, painful atrocity and I went to the ER. Next thing I knew, words like cellulitis, staph, and stenosis were thrown around, I was being pumped full of fluids, antibiotics, and morphine, and was in an ambulance to my STAYCATION DESTINATION, Advent Health Downtown Orlando.”
He continued by noting that for 10 days, he shut down both physically and mentally.
“It was a reminder of both a childhood spent very ill, and a career spent where when things were very promising, began to reach an apex, and accomplishments being achieved I would drasticly be shattered with catastrophic injuries (torn ligaments, tendons, concussions etc.) Completely unforeseen. Completely unnecessary.”
EC3 added that he is at home now where he can continue to heal and rest. He also circled three dates on his calendar with the first date being May 27th.
EC3 has not wrestled since April 9 where he lost to Moose by DQ at a Game Changer Wrestling event.
ROH’s EC3 revealed on Instagram recently that he has been in the hospital for 5 days with an infection. It is not immediately clear what type of infection he is dealing with.
#ControlYourNarrative CAN KILL YOU
That’s not strictly just an attention grabbing headline. it’s more of an update.?
Short version; an infection I neglected proper care for, put others people’s needs before mind, went straight empath, caught up to me and broke me.?
Long version; it’s extensive, I’ve been hospitalized 5 days and we’ll need longer.
Anyways I will heal, if you want to help drop a comment or a thought or affirmation.?
Please do no not text. PLEASE.all I ask. If you want to help let me be alone,
“I very much look forward to etching my name amongst (and above) those who built the foundation Ring of Honor, competing with it’s exceptional roster, finishing what I have started with Jay Brisco, and carrying the #brand forward into the future it deserves.”
Posted April 22nd, 2021 in ROH, News. Tagged: EC3.
Ring of Honor recently confirmed that former WWE Superstar EC3 has signed with the company. The company issued a press release yesterday confirming that the former IMPACT World Champion will be joining the promotion going forward.
Essential Character 3rd took to Twitter to react to the news now going public. “A #message from the #essentialcharacter??” EC3 began. “I have agreed to terms with @ringofhonorwrestling as my chosen three-letter wrestling company.??”
“Ring Of Honor will provide me the corporate platform required to #free this industry” EC3 continued.“It’s competitors, and it’s fan base from conformity, toxic groupthink, archaic storytelling, paint by number movesets, banal, character development.”
The former IMPACT World Champion finished by writing more cryptic messages.
“Ring of Honor is aware of the extreme value in a #FreeEC3, and has provided me not only beyond fair #financial compensation, but the #freedom to push forward #TheNarrative, it’s #content and most importantly it’s ideals:
Control
Freedom
Purpose
I very much look forward to etching my name amongst (and above) those who built the foundation Ring of Honor, competing with it’s exceptional roster, finishing what I have started with Jay Brisco, and carrying the #brand forward into the future it deserves.
#ControlYourNarrative”
Are you excited to see EC3 appear in Ring of Honor? Let us know in the comments
Posted February 27th, 2021 in ROH, News. Tagged: EC3.
Ring of Honor has confirmed that former WWE Superstar EC3 has signed with the company. The company issued a press release earlier today confirming that the former IMPACT World Champion will be joining the promotion going forward.
Here is the full release from ROH:
Ring of Honor is pleased to announce that EC3 has signed with the company.
EC3, who had been pro wrestling’s hottest free agent since he hit the open market last summer; made a few appearances with ROH in the fall. He made his unannounced return on last weekend’s episode of “Ring of Honor Wrestling” to confront Jay Briscoe.
EC3 and Briscoe had been scheduled to face each other at Final Battle in December. The match was called off after EC3 tested positive for COVID-19.
EC3 Signs With ROH
Recognized as a two-time former world champion, EC3 boasts one of the most chiseled physiques in the sport and stellar speaking skills.
EC3 seized control of his narrative during his time as a free agent. A darker, more intense and more dangerous EC3 showed up in ROH declaring that he was on a quest to see if honor is real.
Now that EC3 is making ROH his home, he’ll have ample time to find out.
Since leaving WWE last year during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the former 24/7 Champion has been promoting his character via YouTube videos and his social media presence. The former Derrick Bateman confirmed with Chris Van Vliet on his podcast that he wanted to work where he was offered creative freedom and be able to ‘control the narrative.’ It appears as though ROH have offered the former Ethan Carter 3rd what he was looking for.
Posted February 25th, 2021 in ROH, News. Tagged: EC3.
Former IMPACT and WWE Superstar EC3 recently wrote a series of tweets regarding the IMPACT Wrestling Hard To Kill main event. It was confirmed yesterday that Alex Shelley could not appear in the main event of the show. Travel reasons were the catalyst for this, although nothing further has been released publicly by the company.
IMPACT Wrestling made a change to the card and inserted Moose into the main event of the show. Moose is now teaming with Rich Swann and Chris Sabin. This adds extra intrigue to the main event, as Moose and Rich Swann have been at odds recently; with Moose beating Swann’s close friend Willie Mack at last week’s Genesis event.
EC3 would write a series of tweets regarding the inclusion of Moose into the main event. The can be seen at the bottom of this article.
The former Ethan Carter The Third is not included on tonight’s card officially, nor is he contracted to IMPACT Wrestling (at least this isn’t known publicly). EC3 has been adopting the ‘Control Your Narrative’ stance ever since he left WWE last year, and this appears to be another wrinkle in that story.
It’s worth noting that the below tweets do not indicate that EC3 will get involved at Hard To Kill; but it is certainly something to watch out for.
• To find someone with potential to carry a lost aspect of this industry forward. ? An athlete, a man, an entity, someone powerful, terrifying. ? Someone LEGITIMATE. ? One worth my sacrifice.???
In a company where management has now become infatuated with the #serotonin release of using someone else's "star" Moose once again has found himself unwanted. Abandoned.??? ??? This makes him very dangerous.??? ???
Former WWE Superstar EC3 recently appeared on Chris Van Vliet’s podcast. The ‘One Percenter’ discussed a number of topics during the interview, including the fight club concept he pitched to WWE and how the Covid-19 pandemic prevented him from requesting his release.
“I was going to force her hand,” EC3 began, explaining how he was close to leaving WWE before the COVID-19 pandemic. “The only thing that kept me there? It was the fact that I’m like ‘Oh man there is a pandemic. My parents have a small business, my family might need it. I can’t pass up that money, they might need it.'”
EC3 later discussed pitching a a new character idea as he was preparing to return from a bad concussion.
“Around WrestleMania time I was coming back from a pretty serious concussion that cost me about five or six months. That really changed my life and really made me think about this character.”
“I pitched this idea,” he continued. “I’m a decent writer, I was typing it up, this real great thing, and I included a promo with it. I send it in on a Wednesday, and two hours later I got fired!”
He finished by saying how he was ‘ready to leave’ when the news was presented to him. “The day I sent in some magnificent pitch, I’m fired! The first thing I thought was, ‘Oh, I’m actually okay with this, it’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be okay.’ Then I just posted the [same] promo to the world [on YouTube]. The only thing I didn’t want was people to think I sat around and did nothing.”
Do you think that EC3 could’ve been a much bigger star in WWE? Let us know in the comments
Former WWE Superstar EC3 recently appeared on Chris Van Vliet’s podcast. The one percenter would discuss a number of topics during his time on the show. These would include his ‘fight club’ character he pitched to WWE and how the pandemic stopped him from handing in his release request.
“I think leaving IMPACT? I like change” EC3 would begin, discussing his move from IMPACT to WWE’s NXT brand. “So I don’t like to rest on my laurels and coming from IMPACT and going to NXT? Although I already had a brand and identity, it was a little different to what I wanted.”
EC3 on The Reboot
EC3 would then discuss how he saw the chance to join WWE as a way to ‘reboot’ the EC3 character for a new audience. “I would call the character [in NXT] a reboot, a little bit. Because obviously some of the intangibles with the character would have to change, being in the WWE Universe.”
“But also at the same time? It’s [the EC3 brand] known” the former Derrick Bateman would continue. “It’s a popular brand/identity that I could expand out within the WWE realm, so it would be cool.”
EC3 would finish by revealing that he pitched a Tyler Durden in Fight Club type character when he was in NXT. Before the character could be fleshed out EC3 was brought up to the main roster, which EC3 would describe as ‘rebooting a reboot.’
“But then again? I’m just rehashing the best of it. It never felt right and comfortable. I had this idea that I wanted to do as kind of a psycho boy. A sort of ‘Durden-esque,’ culty kind of leader? Talking about evidence of truth and your purpose and finding yourself within the realms of combat and fighting. So I pitched that, but instead of that? I got called up, and then now we’re rebooting a reboot, that nobody has a vested interest in. The rest is mediocre history.”
EC3 was pulled from this Friday’s Final Battle PPV of Ring Of Honor after the former TNA world champion was tested positive for coronavirus.
The former WWE star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet where he talked about a number of things and he also revealed how he has been since his positive test.
EC3 first revealed that he has been quarantined for over a week at this point and the former NXT star claimed that he is at the tail end of COVID:
“I’ve been quarantined for a week to ten days, yeah, at this point, I have COVID, I’m at the tail end of it. It sucked a little bit, some of it wasn’t bad. I’m healthy, so I was fortune.
EC3 also detailed some of the health issues he has had to deal with since being diagnosed but he claimed that it felt like the flu or bad cold most of the time:
“I had none of the respiratory issues, kind of felt like the flu or a moderately bad cold some of the times. I would say one day I overdid it on my carb load, or I was sick with COVID and it attacked my stomach because I was farting way too much.
One day, I had a real bad set of chills where I had a double hoodie. One night, I had a ten-minute respiratory cough and I was like, ‘I get why this sucks now.’ Woah! I feel like I was breathing fire and then I’ve been fine ever since.”
Apart from this, EC3 talked about things like having no crowd for shows, wrestling without fans and how ROH has the best wrestling in the world. You can check out his full interview below:
Posted December 16th, 2020 in ROH, News. Tagged: EC3.
EC3 is keeping his deals short these days after he was released by WWE earlier this year.
Staying true to his character, he is controlling his own narrative in addition to his freedom when it comes to who he wants to work for.
The former TNA World Heavyweight Champion is slated to be contractually free once again very soon. He told Fightful Select that he will be “freed up” again when 2021 hits, which implies that his ROH deal is running up at the end of this month.
Of course, he does have some options for his next landing spot including signing a new deal with Ring of Honor. It was noted in the interview that he is on good terms with Impact Wrestling. However, he’s not sure about signing a long-term deal even though the promotion has apparently expressed interest in doing such a deal.
EC3 added that he doesn’t know if he wants to be “nailed down long term” with any contract right now. Shortly after joining ROH in October, he was written off Impact television.
He made his return to Impact Wrestling following the main event of the Slammiversary pay-per-view event from Skyway Studios in Nashville, Tennessee back in July.
